1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved method for controlling application operation within the data processing system. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved method for controlling application operation based on results from a previous application execution attempt.
2. Description of Related Art
The Internet, also referred to as an xe2x80x9cinternetworkxe2x80x9d, is a set of computer networks, possibly dissimilar, joined together by means of gateways that handle data transfer and the conversion of messages from the sending network to the protocols used by the receiving network (with packets if necessary). When capitalized, the term xe2x80x9cInternetxe2x80x9d refers to the collection of networks and gateways that use the TCP/IP suite of protocols.
The Internet has become a cultural fixture as a source of both information and entertainment. Many businesses are creating Internet sites as an integral part of their marketing efforts, informing consumers of the products or services offered by the business or providing other information seeking to engender brand loyalty. Many federal, state, and local government agencies are also employing Internet sites for informational purposes, particularly agencies which must interact with virtually all segments of society such as the Internal Revenue Service and secretaries of state. Providing informational guides and/or searchable databases of online public records may reduce operating costs. Further, the Internet is becoming increasingly popular as a medium for commercial transactions.
Currently, the most commonly employed method of transferring data over the Internet is to employ the World Wide Web environment, also called simply xe2x80x9cthe Webxe2x80x9d. Other Internet resources exist for transferring information, such as File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and Gopher, but have not achieved the popularity of the Web. In the Web environment, servers and clients effect data transaction using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), a known protocol for handling the transfer of various data files (e.g., text, still graphic images, audio, motion video, etc.). The information in various data files is formatted for presentation to a user by a standard page description language, the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). In addition to basic presentation formatting, HTML allows developers to specify xe2x80x9clinksxe2x80x9d to other Web resources identified by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). A URL is a special syntax identifier defining a communications path to specific information. Each logical block of information accessible to a client, called a xe2x80x9cpagexe2x80x9d or a xe2x80x9cWeb pagexe2x80x9d, is identified by a URL. The URL provides a universal, consistent method for finding and accessing this information, not necessarily for the user, but mostly for the user""s Web xe2x80x9cbrowserxe2x80x9d. A browser is a program capable of submitting a request for information identified by an identifier, such as, for example, a URL. A user may enter a domain name through a graphical user interface (GUI) for the browser to access a source of content. The domain name is automatically converted to the Internet Protocol (IP) address by a domain name system (DNS), which is a service that translates the symbolic name entered by the user into an IP address by looking up the domain name in a database.
The Internet also is widely used to transfer applications to users using browsers. With respect to commerce on the Web, individual consumers and business use the Web to purchase various goods and services. In offering goods and services, some companies offer goods and services solely on the Web while others use the Web to extend their reach.
During the installation of new computer applications and programs, installation programs are typically used to copy a set of files from a source media to a target. The installation program will create a series of directories in a tree starting at a specified location in the file system of the target. In certain cases, some applications allow a user some choice during the installation process. For example, an application may allow a user to choose a specific edition of the application, for example, a standard edition or an advanced edition. After a user has installed one of the offered editions, both the graphical user interface and the functions provided by the particular installed edition are supported. Regardless of whether the user needs a specific function provided by the chosen and installed edition, the function is enabled, stored on the computer system""s storage device and appears on the applicable graphical user interface.
In addition, a computer application may fail in its attempt to open a file. For example, a xe2x80x9cjpegxe2x80x9d image may be downloaded of the Internet, however, the file that is downloaded uses a slightly non-standard program to create the jpeg image. Therefore, when a user attempts to open the downloaded jpeg image and convert it into a gif image, the conversion program being employed by the user fails with an error when trying to decode the jpeg image. After receiving an error message indicating that the conversion program does not recognize the downloaded jpeg image, the user may manually close the conversion program down and open an alternate program which may recognize the non-standard jpeg image. If the alternate program does recognize the non-standard jpeg image, then it may be saved as a modified jpeg file and the first program may then be manually opened to open the modified jpeg file.
Furthermore, a computer application stored on a user""s computer may not be able to open a file because of, for example, the file""s size or complexity. For example, a typical operating system will attempt to use the lowest common application that can read text. The operating system will attempt to read the file with the common application. However, the file may be too large or too complicated for the common application and opening up of the file fails with an error message alerting the user of the failure. When this error condition is created, the user must manually attempt to open the file again with a more sophisticated program capable of handling the large or complicated file. Thus, the user is confined to attempting to open the file with a default application as defined by the operating system, the opening of the file causing an error because of the limitations of the default application and then the user specifying and reattempting to open the file using another application.
Thus, the creation of an error condition and the manual employment of alternate applications by the user is inefficient and frustrating. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method for controlling alternative application operation based on results of an ordered application execution attempt.
A method, system and computer readable instructions is provided for executing a file with a file format. An attempt is made to execute the file with a first computer application within a plurality of computer applications. Responsive to the first computer application being unable to recognize the file format of the file, a second computer application within the plurality of computer applications is selected to execute the file. The file is then executed using the selected second computer application.